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The 2024 Garden Year

January 19, 2024 January Our year started with snow, ice and frigid temperatures in mid-January. Our temperatures stayed below freezing for almost a week. I think it was the most consistent cold that we've experienced since moving here. Fortunately, it was a dry snow so there wasn't too much damage. Once again, we almost lost the azara and I'm afraid there would have been some breakage if I had not kept knocking the ice off. February 14, 2024 February In past years, it seems that inclement weather seems to hit around Michael's birthday in mid-February. After the January snow and ice, this month was actually quite tame. Nothing exciting to report - mostly birdwatching . Early flowers like hellebores, cyclamen and crocus begin to bloom in mid month. March 3, 2024 March I got into a walking routine which I'm happy to report I am continuing this year. You get to the point where you feel guilty if you miss a day. I do miss days occasionally but I'm learning that ...
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Garden Blogger's Bloom Day for June 2018

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Kniphofia 'Shining Scepter'

 June has been glorious so far and we finally got some much needed rain last week. Not a lot but enough to make the garden happy. It is going to get hot next week and we really dread it. The changing weather trends really sickens me but I try not to dwell on it.

 On to the blooms -

 I am in love with the Red Hot Pokers (Kniphofia). My current favorite is 'Shining Scepter' in the above photo. 'Orange Crush' is really nice too.
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Kniphofia 'Orange Crush'

Another favorite are the clematis. This one was an unidentified one that I brought home from the nursery last year. It appears to be 'Niobe'.
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Clematis 'Niobe'

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Clematis durandii

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Clematis 'Princess Diana'
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Clematis 'Jackmanii Superba'

Another rescue from the nursery last year, Veronica 'Vernique White' was covered in powdery mildew. I brought it home, cut it back and sprayed with Neem oil. It is fine now and this has to be the #1 plant for attracting bees. Every time I look at it, it is covered with them.

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Veronica 'Vernique White'


I have been a bit wary of campanulas and their aggressiveness but so far, 'Sarastro' seems to be well-behaved.
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Campanula 'Sarastro'

Not so with this penstemon - I can't find the variety name but this is the only one I have noticed that may be trying to take over.


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Penstemon


Hummingbirds love Cuphea 'Vermillionaire' - it is by far their favorite annual.
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Firecracker Plant (Cuphea 'Vermillionaire')


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Nicotiana 'Fragrant Cloud'


Another penstemon that I really like is 'Pocahontas' -

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Penstemon 'Pocahontas'


Hebes, I've killed a few. It was rewarding to see this one living and blooming.

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Hebe 'Variegata'


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Potentilla 'Fireball'


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Rose Campion (Lychnis coronaria)


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Sedum forsterianum 'Antique Grill'


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St. John's Wort (Hypericum inodorum 'Pumpkin')

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Jerusalem Sage (Phlomis 'Quilted Leaf')


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Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ruby Slippers'


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Geranium 'Rozanne' and Spirea


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We can grow Sweet Peas!


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Rose 'Robin Hood'


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English Rose 'Lady Emma Hamilton'


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'Ketchup and Mustard'


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'Climbing Iceburg'

Michael babies the fuchsia pots on the deck with loving care. They will need it with next week's heat wave.

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Fuchsia 'Red Spider'


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Fuchsia 'Delta Sarah'


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Fuchsia 'Gartenmeister Bonstadt'


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Flowering Maple (Abutilon megapotamicum variegatum)

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day is hosted by May Dreams Gardens. Check out what is blooming in other blogger's gardens around the world. 

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Comments

  1. Penny PostJune 15, 2018 at 3:51 AM

    Beautiful colours and textures.

    ReplyDelete
  2. LINDA from Each Little WorldJune 15, 2018 at 6:03 AM

    What a great group of bloomers you have. I usually don't like St. John's wort or Potentilla but I am going to have check out the two you are growing. So much more interesting that the usual ones I see. As for your rose, I had a big Emma Hamilton (the woman, not the rose) phase. Very interesting woman if you are not familiar with her.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Phillip OliverJune 15, 2018 at 6:01 PM

      I am not familiar with her but will make a mental note to learn more about her, especially now that I have a rose named after her!

      Delete
  3. outlawgardenerJune 15, 2018 at 6:40 AM

    Lots of beautiful blooms in your garden! Your clematis are glorious. Kniphofias are really wonderful but I tend to kill them.

    ReplyDelete
  4. danger gardenJune 15, 2018 at 8:33 AM

    Lots of flowers! I especially like that intro shot with the Kniphofia. Your neighbors must be thrilled you moved into the neighborhood.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AlisonJune 15, 2018 at 8:39 AM

    I'm not looking forward to the heat next week either. I dislike it intensely, give me overcast skies and even a nice misty rain and I'm happy. Your flowers are stunning! I've never heard of that Potentilla, what a rich red! I wouldn't mind letting that purple Penstemon take over part of my garden, might it be 'Blackbird?' That first shot of the Kniphofia is wonderfully atmospheric.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Phillip OliverJune 15, 2018 at 6:00 PM

      I can give you plenty of the penstemon, assuming that it is easy to divide. 'Blackbird' does not ring a bell. I am not sure.

      Delete
  6. Arun GoyalJune 15, 2018 at 9:20 AM

    Oh lovely burst of flowers I envy your post since we cant grow clematis in our hot region but we can grow sweet peas as annual in spring

    ReplyDelete
  7. AaronJune 15, 2018 at 10:18 AM

    So many nice plants! The Cuphea is pretty awesome. I'm trying to grow Salvia coccinea here to feed the hummers. Growing it from seed scattered outdoors and just saw the first blooms today.

    You mentioned it's going to get hot where you are? Welcome to our world. We've been sitting in the high 80s and low 90s for weeks now with high humidity to boot. It's been a hot start to summer for sure down south. I'm guessing you don't miss it one bit.

    Very impressed with your fuschias and sweet peas too. I remember trying to grow sweet peas one of my first years gardening here in Tennessee. They sure burn up pretty quick in our steamy summers, but looks like it's a good choice for the PNW...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lisa at GreenbowJune 15, 2018 at 1:45 PM

    What gorgeous blooms. I had Kniphofia in my garden before. I don't have enough sun here for them. I love fuchias. I don't believe I have ever seen a blue one, purple, pink, white but not blue, beautiful! And who wouldn't want this tasty Ketchup and Mustard in their garden. Happy GBBD.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hoover BooJune 15, 2018 at 3:06 PM

    Beautiful blooms. I tried one Kniphofia and killed it.

    I'm not a fan of heat, either. At least you got some recent rain...good luck with next week. Our heat came this week--can't wait for a break from it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Rainy Day GardenerJune 16, 2018 at 1:41 PM

    I've been a bit obessessed with veronica of late. I've added three blue varieties to my garden thus far and have been tempted by white...I might have to bite now! Happy GBBD!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Phillip OliverJune 17, 2018 at 10:22 PM

      I would not usually buy white but they were free. I do love them though!

      Delete
  11. chavlinessJune 18, 2018 at 9:38 AM

    The vignette of the climbing iceberg is charming.
    I also have Penstemon 'Pocahontas' - I didn't realize that was it's name - and I love the blooms and leaf color combination: its quite striking. I let the dry seed pods stick round for a while. I don't mind if it reseeds a bit, I get to share with neighbors and friends. BTW, after killing a few Hebes, someone mentioned that the smaller the leaf, the better chance a Hebe will survive a winter; and I found that to be true.

    ReplyDelete
  12. RobinLJuly 1, 2018 at 6:46 PM

    Have I ever told you how much I look forward to reading your posts? I’m quite jealous of your neighbors who get to see it all the time.

    ReplyDelete

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